The present invention relates generally to techniques for stimulation of the vagus nerve, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for suppressing or inhibiting stimulation of the vagus nerve while the individual undergoing the stimulation is speaking.
Neural stimulating devices (neurostimulators) for generating and applying electrical impulses to the vagus nerve of an epileptic patient to modulate the electrical activity of the nerve(s) as part of a prescribed therapy are currently undergoing clinical testing and investigation. A side effect of such vagal stimulation in at least some patients is the presence of a noticeable modulation of the patient's voice when he or she speaks during actual application of the stimulating signals to the nerve.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide techniques for avoiding undesirable voice modulation of patients undergoing vagal stimulation therapy.
However, the desire to eliminate an objectionable or annoying modulation of the patient's voice, which is essentially a cosmetic consideration, must be balanced against the need to assure that the appropriate therapy will be delivered.
Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to avoid, to a reasonable extent, undesirable voice modulation of patients undergoing vagal stimulation therapy, while maintaining a bias in certain circumstances toward ongoing delivery of the therapy as prescribed.